[1] Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus that reads image data from its original source, in particular to a technology for reusing image data.
[2] Description of the Related Art
Among image-forming apparatuses, there has been a model that outputs image data read from its original source through an e-mail attachment (see, e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. H11-331469). In addition, another type stores image data of its original source on the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) in order to re-output it. On the HDD, the image data is stored in a file format specified by the user when being read from the original source. When the image data is to be re-output, the image-forming apparatus outputs the image data which has been stored on the HDD to the destination.
However, when there is more than one destination, each destination may request the same image data in a different file format. This is, for instance, the case when Destination A wants to use the image data in a JPEG format while Destination B wants to use the image data in a PDF format. Besides, the same destination may want to use the same image data in a different file format later on.
Conventional image-forming apparatuses are able to reuse image data only when the file format of the image data stored on the HDD happens to match the one requested. If these two are not the same, however, the image-forming apparatuses are not able to meet the request of the destination. If the latter is the case, then the user has to make extra effort to specify a desired file format for the image data to be output and operate an image-forming apparatus to read the original source once again.